Delicious Gluten-Free Pumpkin Squares

his post features my truly delicious gluten-free pumpkin squares recipe and contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosures. Please note that this post has been updated, refreshed, and republished on October 21, 2019.

I’m so excited to share this recipe for gluten-free pumpkin squares recipe with you because, guess what? … It’s pumpkin season, baby!

This recipe is light and cakey and fully channels all the wonderful flavors of the fall; it’s one I can’t help but make time and time again. 

In addition to being delicious, it’s quite simple to make too.

How to Make Gluten-Free Pumpkin Squares

To make these gluten-free pumpkin squares, you’ll need a few key ingredients.  It’s pretty simple, but let me walk you through it all.

First off, you need a gluten-free flour blend. I have used several different gluten-free flour blends to make these pumpkin squares and have found they all work well.

You need to look for a mix that is a 1-to-1 blend that includes xanthan gum (if not, you need to add one tablespoon of it to your recipe). 

My preferred gluten-free flour blend is Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend. It is a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour substitute that works like a charm every time I use it in lieu of wheat flour.

This recipe also works really well with Pamela’s Gluten-Free Flour Blend and Grandpa’s Kitchen Gluten-Free Flour Blend. Grandpa’s Kitchen is a lesser-known brand. The company sent me some samples years ago, and I decided to use it in this pumpkin squares recipe, which worked well. I’ve included this brand in this post even though the flour blend is hard to find, and I don’t use it anymore.

For the pumpkin square batter, you’ll need the following:

• Eggs
• Sugar
• Oil (I like this avocado oil)
• Canned pumpkin
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Cinnamon 
• Kosher salt

And for the cream cheese frosting, you’ll need the following:

• Cream cheese
• Butter
• Vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar

After you preheat your oven to 350º F, you’ll then combine your eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin in a large bowl and mix it all together.

In a separate bowl, you’ll combine your dry ingredients, including your gluten-free flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

You’ll then mix it all the ingredients together, preferably using your standing or handheld mixer. The batter will be liquidy even when combined.

Pour your batter into TWO greased 9″x13″ baking tins/pans and bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Once cooked, allow the cakes to cool completely before adding the cream cheese frosting (otherwise, the frosting will melt off of it).

Once cooled, prepare to make the cream cheese frosting.

Oh, and yes, I said cream cheese frosting. Drooling yet?

Combine all the frosting ingredients together in a large bowl, and either using your standing or handheld mixer, blend until combined.

Just look at this beautiful white silky smooth frosting. I bet that you wish you could lick the spoon right now, don’t you?

Once the cakes are completely cooled (preferably on a wire rack), evenly spread the cheesecake frosting atop the pumpkin cakes. If you have an icing spatula like this one, spreading the frosting over the cakes is much easier to do.

Now you’re ready to cut the cakes into even squares (12 squares per pan, 24 squares total) and serve.

Now prepare yourself for lots of compliments. I seriously get showered in compliments every time I make ’em.

Yes, They Taste as Good as They Look

It’s one thing to make a pretty dessert, but these gluten-free pumpkin squares taste oh-so-good too. In fact, I like to say they taste as good as they look!

The cake portion is pumpkin-y and moist. It’s like biting into a soft pillow flavored with cinnamon spice. The top is sweet and creamy. Yum!

I don’t know about you, but I always look for recipes with a good mouthfeel. I miss that cakey and doughy texture at times. 

And of course, I couldn’t have done it without the wonderful gluten-free flour blends that are readily available to our community online and in grocery stores. Don’t bother mixing your own gluten-free flours and starches. So many great blends exist already, all ready for you to use on a whim.

Happy Fall – I hope you enjoy this recipe. If you do, please leave me a comment to let me know how they turned out!